Who were Kennedy's advisors and how effective were they?

Previous experience 

• Wrote Kennedy's speeches & articles and helped him write his 1956 book Profiles in Courage

Role for Kennedy

• Wrote Kennedy's speeches and articles 

Previous experience

• Ran Kennedy's election campaign
• Was Joseph McCarthy's legal assistant 

Role for Kennedy

• Attorney General

Concerns

• Brother/nepotism
• Limited experience
• Closest adviser even in areas of no expertise, e.g. Cuban Missile Crisis

Previous experience

• Former intelligence officer during WW2
• Professor of Government at Harvard

Role for Kennedy

• United States National Security Advisor

Concerns

• Advanced escalation in Vietnam
• Involved in Bay of Pigs decision and Cuban Missile Crisis

Previous experience

• 24 years as a Congressman

Role for Kennedy

• Vice President, a legislative expert

Previous experience

• President of Ford Cars
• Previously taught statistics/accounting at Harvard

Role for Kennedy

• Head of Department of Defence]

Concerns

• Favoured military intervention because statistics suggested it was a good idea.
• So involved in Vietnam that sometimes the Vietnam War is described as McNamara's War. 

Previous experience

• Diplomat
• Worked for the Department of State

Role for Kennedy

• Secretary of State

Concerns

• Fractious relationshiop with Kennedy.
• Kennedy appointed him because he thought this appointment would give him personal control over foreign policy.
• Kennedy described Rusk as 'a good errand boy'. 

Previous experience

• Lawyer

Role for Kennedy

• Led the Peace Corps

Concerns

• Brother-in-law to JFK.